Solid breakfast taco spot. The tacos were loaded with egg, cheese, and meat. Everything was flavorful and well seasoned. The price is very fair for the amount of food you get. The only reason it's not a 5 star is the tortilla was not hot enough and was a bit dry and stiff. read more

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We heard they just got their gourmand bib for 2025 and decided to visit. Turn out everything we had was good. The chicharon tacos was the best I'm not a fan of enchiladas and found out they r so good here. Price range is very reasonable for the food hall place. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Hidden gem inside the food hall. Huge menu, I went with two of the carrot tacos and a veggie rice bowl. Tons of food, great prices, filling and bursting with flavor. Would eat here again anytime. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Zanahoria Taco - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Located in Finn Hall in downtown, this food court is a popular lunch spot for those working downtown. Or else, parking would be a disaster for trying to eat here (it would only be paid parking in garages or streetside). The menu is quite simple; I got their heirloom carrot tacos and a chicharron taco as well as a side of chips and guacamole. The carrot tacos were mostly veggie and fairly tasty, they are about two-biter size. The chicharron meat looked great until they diced it up so small that the meat looked unrecognizable; the meat portion was also extremely small in the taco so where it was a bummer. The chips for their chips and guacamole were very subpar; they felt fairly hard and stale and I wasn't a big fan of it. The guac was also a bit under-seasoned and needed some more acidity to it. It feels like the food quality went down slightly since their chef may be focusing more on their other location at Ema. It's a decent option for the downtown lunch crowd but to say it's not pricey for what it is wouldn't be accurate. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place was tucked inside Finn Hall in Downtown Houston. The person taking my order answered questions with a smile. We received pagers and it took maybe 8 mins until the fresh food was ready to retrieve for dine in. The guac was so fresh that I tried from my coworker. The tortilla that wrapped the brisket enchilada was so tasty. The brisket was seasoned well. The elote salad was a bit spicier than I normally take but I ate it all because it was so flavorful. We will return to try something else. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Elite salad and brisket enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Heard great things about this place, but for me the carnitas and Al pastor lacked seasoning, also the carnitas were very fatty, some pieces inedible. The carne asada taco was great and loved the corn tortillas. Will try again as it maybe was just time thing. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Trio tacos - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came here for lunch and it was pretty good. I ordered the chicken quesadilla and my husband got the brisket quesadilla. The rice was really bland, but overall it was a great meal. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Chicken quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

These were the best tacos that I've had in Houston!!!! it was the best chicken that I've ever had in a taco. The flavors and the salsas were incredible. The corn tortillas were killer. 10/10 I see why they were on the Michelin list read more

Very tasty! Service was fast and I got my food within 10 minutes. It was inside the Finn Hall in downtown Houston! There were a couple of tables for seating with all of the other restaurants and bars inside the hall. It was a cute little place to take people just to have options. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Rice bowl - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

I want to note that I'm trying all of the places on the Michelin guide, so wanted to try this as it had a big gourmand. I would say that they do have good food at moderate prices. The food was a 4, the tacos were really good (the "spicy" sauce is not spicy but had a great smoky flavor) and so was the rice bowl. My preference on the tacos was definitely the chicken. Over the brisket. They also somehow did not have the elote salad which I was hoping to try so that hurt the rating. The service was a 2, not because it was in a food hall but because of the negligence of the staff. Waited in line about 15 minutes to be greeted while they made other orders, people in line in front of me just left. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Rice bowl with chicken and two chicken tacos along with the brisket (Barbacoa) taco. - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

Whenever we've been to Fin Hall this place has always been closed since we go kinda late, so when we saw it open we know we had to jump at the opportunity to try it out and we were not disappointed. This place sits in Fin Hall which is a food and drink court, a really cool spot if you're in Houston you have to check out. Now coming from Deep South Texas I'll be up front, it's expensive for tacos. But if you want what I would say is an elevated taco experience give it a shot. The brisket taco was very flavorful, really not much you can say beyond that, when it's right it's right and this is very right. The surprise for me was the taco de zanahoria. Looking at it I was thinking "a carrot taco? How good can that be?" Let me tell you, it can be very good. So much flavor, a definite try if you are vegetarian. I don't think you'll be disappointed even if you're a meat eater. Not pictured was the brisket quesadilla my wife had but that was excellent as well read more

Papalo Taqueria - Brisket taco, taco de zanahoria - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

What a disappointment! This was our first stop on the newly released Top 50 tacos in Texas. We waited for quite awhile as there was a sign on the register saying "be right back". Most of the menu they didn't have available leaving a choice of the chicken taco or the pork. We shared the trio we ordered. After one bite of the hard dry chicken I was out. All the beautiful pictures we had seen and all the accolades from the magazine seemed to have been of another restaurant. Not worth the time or paying to park. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Tasty Beans - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I was order number 8. The two people behind me ordered the same exact thing as me and got their orders before me

Sad to see this place go! Me and my work friends were looking for a lunch area and found Finn Hall which seemed like a food warehouse where we could all get whatever we wanted and still enjoy. I went towards the Mexican because they had good vegetarian options. I got the bowl and it came with tortillas on the side. The portion isn't ridiculously large like our friend Chipotle but it was just the right size to finish in one meal for me. The bowl had greens beans a good sauce on the side sweet Potatoe and everything was flavored very well. Food came out at a decent timing too. I would go back here and try something else. But note- Finn hall is a bit hard to get to from the tunnels so maybe try walking outdoors to get there. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Finn hall indoors - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great flavor and value! Love the chips and guacamole here. The tortillas are also very good as well. Definitely worth a try when visiting Finn Hall read more

Papalo Taqueria - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

A part of the first wave of the reimagining of Finn Hall, Papalo occupies the space previously manned by Goode Co Taqueria. Whereas Goode Co was solidly in the Tex-Amex camp, Papalo strives to provide authentic Mexican cuisine, sourcing many of their ingredients from areas across Mexico. Of note, Papalo Taqueria is a concept of Stephanie Velazquez and Nicolas Vera, both of whose resumes include working with Chris Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality group and Hugo Ortega's Xochi. These well known names in the Houston food scene bring big expectations, and I'm happy to report that Papalo delivers. I stopped in one morning for breakfast, which begins conveniently early at 7am, and was treated to some delicious breakfast tacos. I tried both options--potato & chorizo and potato & cheese, both with eggs. They were both so fresh and flavorful, and the flour tortillas were amazing! You can definitely tell they're freshly made with quality ingredients. I also recommend the spicy salsa--it's the perfect level of spice for my palate (similar in heat level to tacodeli's doña). It's smoky flavor paired really well with the chorizo taco. The rest of the menu is enticing--I'm dying to try their made-in-house corn tortillas (featuring freshly ground corn, shipped in from Oaxaca) as well as their Saturday morning brunch. I'm excited about this new Finn Hall addition and can't wait to come back! read more

Been following these talented chefs on the farmers market circuit and at private catered parties. Everything they make is delicious and memorable. Stopped by for their limited edition curbside service and got chilaquiles, which are served with a fried egg, grilled steak, crumbled queso fresco and crema. These are like no other chilaquiles in houston. The tortilla chips in the chilaquiles are thick and crunchy, which soaks up the flavorful tomato sauce they're coated in. Excellent quality ingredients shine through and make the chilaquiles a signature dish you'll definitely crave and seek out. The steak plate came with two fresh handmade tortillas, cabbage tossed in vinaigrette and roasted baby potatoes. The steak wAs tender, juicy, flavorful and lightly charred. A must try, especially if you're a carnivore. We also ordered the charro beans which were flavorful, meaty, saucy and super satisfying. This food is made with skill and lots of love. We'll be back again and again to try the full menu and see what new creations these chefs dream up. read more

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Some of the best food downtown Houston has to offer. Unreal tacos, filling meals, and delicious flavors. Homemade EVERYTHING. Can't say enough good stuff, you gotta just try it for yourself. Oh and the reviewer who said she didn't like the chicken taco must not have a great palate, its my Go-To. The food tastes amazing. Very kind staff as well. read more

Taco lunch today at a concept from Underbelly Hospitality and Xochi veterans Stephanie Velazquez and Nicolas Vera in Finn Hall. Pork with salsa verde, chicken marinated in tepache, and chicharrones (pork bellies). All the meats were of a high quality as were the corn tortillas. Decent flavor in general with the chicharrones taco being the standout, though nothing you can't find at many local food trucks. At $4.25/taco, a bit on the pricey side, but that was to be expected given the central location. Overall, a good option for lunch when working downtown. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Corn tortilla tacos 1. Pork with salsa verde 2. Chicken marinated in tepache 3. Chicharrones (pork bellies) - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Got 2 brisket bowls for me and my bf, as well as an horchata donut, and a guava & Jamaica agua fresca. The bowl has rice, beans, mixed greens, some fresh cheese, brisket, and 2 homemade tortillas. Everything was so good and flavorful, and the brisket was so soft and well made. The corn tortillas were homemade, a little on the thick side, but that didn't detract from them. Their salsas are good too, my favorite was the mild green one; the red one was spicier and smokier. The donut was amazing! So doughy and delicious, with a very interesting and spiced creamy filling. The agua fresca was so delicious too, refreshing and sweet (but not overly so). My only complaint is that the brisket was salty, and then they added more salt and pepper on top of everything, but this May be an isolated event. Will definitely come back to try their tacos next. Oh, and the service was spectacular too. The girl who took my order was super helpful and incredibly sweet, even gave me an extra donut for calling my order before it was ready. It was not necessary, but a special thought for sure. read more

Papalo Taqueria - Horchata donut and guava & hibiscus agua fresca - Mexican Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Everything about Papalo is fantastic! Food, service, everything! I work in the same building and have never had a bad experience. I had the brisket quesadilla today and it was ON POINT! I highly recommend Papalo. read more

One of the best tres leches I've ever had! Well done! Also kind owners/employees. Give these dedicated folks a great chance!

Great options for tacos or bowls. High quality. Unique flavors. Great option for lunch downtown and a sign Finn Hall is re-emerging.

I really want to like it, but they don't make it easy. The menu looks cute but really fails to describe things in the necessary level of detail for someone that cares about food. So last time I got the chicken taco and was disturbed to find that it had a salad with an oily vinaigrette dressing in the taco that basically ruined it for me. I made a mental note to not get the chicken again, so next time I got the pork and exact same deal. The barbacoa is my favorite so far because it doesn't have an oily salad on it, but really all of the meats are pretty bland. The corn tortillas are good. read more